AE 34 made by Phillips Electrical in Canada - 34a3 or 34a3b

[wds]

Picked an unusual looking AE 34.  While polishing, I noticed the phone is stamped Phillips Electrical Works Limited on the base plate and on the dial.  I'm guessing this is not too usual?   I've seen posts before about the felt bottom - I'm sure I've read that the felt bottoms were sometimes issued by AE?  There is some print in yellow on the felt, but I can't make out the words.  The brown cloth cords also seem to be original to the phone.  Is it possible that the newer handset was issued with this phone also?  Regardless I plan to switch out the handset, but leave the brown cords.    I will post better pictures after I've finished polishing the phone.

[stub]

wds,
        Your phone could be a 34A3B. Do this test. Put your 41 handset with the transmitter on the left and slowly push it to the right to center it (evenly spaced) in the cradle. If the receiver starts to raise up, before it is centered, its a 34A3, if not you have a 34A3B case ( AE Catalog 4055 C pg. 16) and the 41 is the correct handset for it and the spitcup is a little different, pg. 48 of same catalog. The 34A3 uses the 38 handset . I don't know about the felt on the bottom . Can you post a pic of the back of phone?  It might be a 34 A 11  stub

[DavePEI]

Picked up this unusual looking AE 34.  While polishing, I noticed the phone is stamped Phillips Electrical Works Limited on the base plate and on the dial.  I'm guessing this is not too usual?   

Not unusual at all. This was made in Brockville, Ontario - my home town. Until 1954, AE products were made at the Phillips Electrical Works plant on King St. West, but in 1954, a brand new AE/GTE plant opened on Schofield Hill on Strowger Blvd which took over the manufacture of telephones. Those made before the move were branded Phillips, those after, AE.The former plant reverted to making wire and cable under the Phllips Wire and Cable name...

http://www.islandregister.com/phones/ae.html

Dave

[DNO]

One of the first phones I found was a Phillips-marked AE34A3B made in Brockville.  It had the remnants of a rubber gasket on the base but no felt.  Not as fancy looking as an AE34A3 but still a cool phone.  Nice find.

[wds]

I tried sliding the handset across the cradle, and it appeared to remain flat.  I tried the same process with a couple other 41 handsets with the same results.  Not sure I understand the test - if the handset raises up while sliding, that would indicate that the handset is curved, and wouldn't have any bearing on the cradle area?   I can't seem to find a copy of the 4055-C manual.  I have the 4055-D - I checked the TCI site and could only find a short doc. about the 34A3B - is this the doc you were referring to, or is there a complete manual somewhere I could download? 

[LarryInMichigan]

If I try to place a type 41 handset in the cradle of my AE34, it doesn't sit very well.  The plunger likes to push it up so that it doesn't rest properly in the cradle.  With no handset in the cradle, the pluger extends upward about 1/2".

Larry

[DavePEI]

One of the first phones I found was a Phillips-marked AE34A3B made in Brockville.  It had the remnants of a rubber gasket on the base but no felt.  Not as fancy looking as an AE34A3 but still a cool phone.  Nice find.

I hate to tell you this, but the phones made in Brockville were made according to the exact same specs as AE US. The Eugene F. Phillips Electrical Works was owned by the Automatic Electric Company (a subsidiary of the Theodore Gary and Company) until the new -plant was built and the old plant was sold to British Calender Cables Ltd. Phones until the move were labelled Phillips.

So it should be identical to your other phone. By the way, new rubber gaskets may be ordered through TCI. They fit right on. I am trying to remember who was selling them - was it John Novack?

Dave

[wds]

Do you know what the manual is referring to with the type 11 & 12 connecting blocks?

[stub]

wds,
         Here's the link for the 4055 C Catalog-  http://pdfs.telephonearchive.com/gsps.html   
         Page 41 of same catalog for the connecting blocks.   stub

[wds]

got it - thanks. 

[poplar1]

The gaskets are sold by Gary Goff.

One of the first phones I found was a Phillips-marked AE34A3B made in Brockville.  It had the remnants of a rubber gasket on the base but no felt.  Not as fancy looking as an AE34A3 but still a cool phone.  Nice find.

I hate to tell you this, but the phones made in Brockville were made according to the exact same specs as AE US. The Eugene F. Phillips Electrical Works was owned by the Automatic Electric Company (a subsidiary of the Theodore Gary and Company) until the new -plant was built and the old plant was sold to British Calender Cables Ltd. Phones until the move were labelled Phillips.

So it should be identical to your other phone. By the way, new rubber gaskets may be ordered through TCI. They fit right on. I am trying to remember who was selling them - was it John Novack?

Dave

[wds]

If someone could provide opening measurements, maybe we can figure out if the opening is indeed different for the 34a3b. 

[DavePEI]

The gaskets are sold by Gary Goff.

One of the first phones I found was a Phillips-marked AE34A3B made in Brockville.  It had the remnants of a rubber gasket on the base but no felt.  Not as fancy looking as an AE34A3 but still a cool phone.  Nice find.

I hate to tell you this, but the phones made in Brockville were made according to the exact same specs as AE US. The Eugene F. Phillips Electrical Works was owned by the Automatic Electric Company (a subsidiary of the Theodore Gary and Company) until the new -plant was built and the old plant was sold to British Calender Cables Ltd. Phones until the move were labelled Phillips.

So it should be identical to your other phone. By the way, new rubber gaskets may be ordered through TCI. They fit right on. I am trying to remember who was selling them - was it John Novack?

Dave

Thanks, I should have remembered that! I got one for my AE-34 and it is perfect! These will also fit Stromberg Fat Boy cases,

Dave

[wds]

Polished up, with type 38 handset.  I like the looks of the felt bottom as it matches the correct brown cords, so for now it stays.

[WesternElectricBen]

Looks great, especially next to the other phone.

Ben